Chiefs are thirteen points behind log leaders Ajax Cape Town and are occupying 12th position in the Premier League log. Now, with a bitter attack from chairperson Kaizer Motaung on the tactics of coach Muhsin Ertugral, can things get any worse for the tottering PSL giants?
Amakhosi are away to title-challenging Wits University at the compact Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night and a further setback for the tarnished glamour team — who have drawn 10 of their last 17 matches — could plunge Chiefs dangerously close to the relegation zone.
While Wits can boast a respectable record in games against Chiefs, their success has mainly been achieved from the status of under-dogs upsetting more highly-vaunted opposition.
Not this time.
Indeed, it would appear that Roger de Sa’s diligent Wits combination go into the game as favourites.
Ironically, the label of top dogs could prove counterproductive to Wits if they show any sign of complacency.
De Sa, it must be said, is a firm believer in the concept of players giving 100% — occasionally even over-emphasising this aspect when it comes to players of special skill.
In this respect, it will be interesting to see whether the Wits’ coach includes Marcos de Jesus in his starting line-up in spite of the goal-scoring Brazilian predator lessening the kind of work rate De Sa regards as obligatory.
Chiefs could have Gerald Sibeko back in their ranks after injury, while sturdy defender Derrick Spencer is a doubtful starter — and the consensus in soccer circles is that Ertugral badly needs a victory for his team in order to ease the pressure.
With the game advertised as an all-ticket affair, the PSL warns spectators without tickets to stay at home. But they may well heed this advice for other reasons. – Sapa